How to Dress the Hourglass Body Type

Considered the most ideal shape for women, the hourglass body type enables you to wear the most flattering clothing styles that flaunt your assets. Marked by a shapely bust, defined waist, and curvy bottom half, hourglass body type is well proportioned for where the width of the widest part of hips and thigh area is the same as the width of the shoulders. Whether you’re creating flattering proportions by defining the waist or lengthening the leg line, keep on reading for styling tricks that will accentuate the natural contour of your shapely curves, thereby flaunting your hourglass body shape in a sleek and attractive.

Wearing tailored tops that define the waist is one of the conventional approaches to flattering your well-proportioned curves. You may go for tops in soft fabrics like knits, silk blends, and stretchy ones that gently skim over your curves and accentuate your natural shape. Open necklines — like boat necks, drape necks, open shirt collars, V-necks, scoops, and cowls — visually deemphasize the bust and lengthen the neck, thereby strengthening the vertical line of the outfit. Button-down shirts left few holes unbuttoned, fitted tops, structured cardigan, empire cut blouses, and mock tops would work if they are adequately tailored and have a bit of stretch. Sometimes, you tend to look slimmer when your clothes are a little roomier. Voluminous blouses and fluid tops are best in soft fabrics so that the silhouette collapses back onto the body for structure.

You can wear most styles of skirts if they have enough structure and drop to a flattering length. Better opt for skirts that fall around the knees and wear them with a tailored tucked top. Pencil skirts, flared skirts, mermaid skirts, and A-line skirts look great on you. Trapeze and trumpet skirts with vertical panel detailing are notable because their mermaid shape complements your curves. Flared skirts are best when the panels are stitched down and shaped for extra hip definition. Just stay away from the skirt styles with horizontal cut-lines as this will only unbalance your proportions.

When choosing for your pants or shorts, elongate your leg line that can make you look more proportionate. Boot cut jeans in mid-rise have a skimming fit that can flatter your shape. Just wear your rises a little higher and looser if you are prone to muffin top. Choose curvy fits of pants if you are curvy, and don’t wear them overly tight. Skinny jeans and straight leg pants look better on curvy hourglass shapes because the extra width on the lower leg balances out proportions. Wear them regular length or with scrunch to further elongate the leg line. If you’re just confident with your shape, you may go for baggy and slouchy styles of pants like boyfriend jeans, track pants, harem pants, casual knits with elastic waistband and tapered hems.

You were made for tailored dresses because you fill them out to perfection. Bodycon dresses, fit-and-flare dresses, wrap dresses, sheath dresses, and empire style dresses really work well with your shape. Just make sure the neckline of your dress works with your bust size and neck length so you’ll look equally fabulous in flaunting your natural assets.